European School, Bergen

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The European School, Bergen (in Dutch: Europese school Bergen) (or ESB) is one of the 12 European Schools. It is located in the town of Bergen in the Dutch province of North Holland.

1 History
2 Education
3 School life
4 External links

[edit] History

The Joint Research Centre (in Dutch Gemeenschappelijk Centrum voor Onderzoek-GCO) in the nearby town of Petten is a European institution (it is part of Euratom), and thus attracts workers and researchers from across the European Union. To provide an education for their children, the European School, Bergen was established in 1963.

[edit] Education

The curriculum is identical to that of the other European schools. There are five language-sections: German, English, French, Italian and Dutch.

[edit] School life

Although the ESB started out as a school for children of the workers of the Joint Research Centre, very few of the pupils' parents work for that institution. Even so, its international outlook and multiple language-stream education means that it manages to attract pupils of many European nationalities and beyond. As a result of this, there is a great deal of mixing amongst the pupils of the different language-streams, and many pupils leave with a more European or International outlook on life.

As of October 12, 2003, the student population of the European School, Bergen was 696 — of which 68 were in the nursery school, 249 in the primary school and 379 in the secondary school.

The majority of the pupils live within 10km of the school. Some commute from as far as Amsterdam and Den Helder. School busses are chartered by the parents' association to take the pupils too and from the school each day.

Every two years (starting in the 5th year of the primary school), a school-trip is organised. This usually lasts for about a week.

The pupils put together a school newspaper once per term. Over the years, the ESB pupils' school newspaper has held several names.

7th years, on the final day of class before the Baccalaureate exams, traditionally play pranks and attempt to organize humiliations for their professors. Unfortunately this is becoming increasingly difficult, due to school policy, and the recent administration of Mrs. Gardelli.

The BACC consists of a series of written exams (Mathematics, First Language and Second Language are obligatory), followed them by oral exams (First and Second language obligatory)